While there are noticed changes in the rigid media environment in the last one year, there are still questions over the media, whether they really entertain and represent diverse voices and viewpoints.
In terms of press freedom, the media have started to enjoy changes. According to the latest World Press Freedom Index, an annual index published every year since 2002 by Reporters without Borders, Ethiopia is leveled 110th out of 180 countries in general level of press freedom, showing an improvement of 40 places in ranking since last year. On top of this, UNESCO has selected Ethiopia to host the 2019 World Press Freedom Day.
However, in regards to entertaining diverse voices and offering a fuller and more balanced range of viewpoints, many agree that diversified voices are not properly entertained properly by most of the media.
Yirgalem Kassahun, Lecturer at Mekelle University Department of Journalism and Communication, told The Ethiopian Herald that the media need to operate in line with professional ethics of journalism. They should provide equal treatment of people and entertain diverse views.
He says that regional broadcast media entertain almost only the voice of regional governments, regardless
of media ethics. “They disseminate unfair and unbalanced information.” Compared to regional media, there has been good progress in entertaining voice of diversity on national public television stations.
“Media should be established to serve as an alternative source of information. Relatively, private media entertains diversity of opinions and some of private broadcast media are good source of information,” he indicates.
In some media houses, the influence of media owners is visible, he says before mentioning how they compel journalists to work regardless of professional ethics of journalism.
Entertaining diverse opinions has an important role in nation building. And it has a great power to promote country’s peace and security because solutions to problems can be obtained by entertaining diversity of opinions, Yirgalem remarks.
Tibebu Belete, General Manager of Ahadu FM 94.3 and a senior journalist, for his part believes that the performance of public and private media on entertaining diversity of opinions is very low.
“State and federal level public media are still the voice of the government, and are having difficulties in adopting the national reform.” I think this is the effect of pressure of the past 27 years, he adds.
As to him, media with their own political interest are dominating the airwaves. Most media and journalists are operating outside of the ethics and philosophy of the profession. “Even the scholars and experts invited by these media organizations are the promoters of the stands of that particular media.”
“The current political situation in our country has casted a shadow on our media organizations with the media mimicking the current political climate,” he notes.
On the other hand, Tibebu points out how the private media focuses on the capital of the country, Addis Ababa, whilst neglecting all the citizens those residing out of the Addis Ababa and things happened outside the radius of the capital.
Nuru Mudesir, Chairperson of All Ethiopian Democratic Party, says that Ethiopian broadcast media have currently become an outlet of some parties or individuals. This may harm the social, economic and political activities of Ethiopians.
The private and public media are not entertaining diverse voices and viewpoints. They are the mouthpiece of the government and individuals. “Especially, public media entertains almost only the voice of the ruling party.”
The private media on the other hand do not provide equal treatments of people and entertain diverse views, and this has been the problem of the private broadcast media, he remarks. “Some private newspapers and magazines work for parties and individuals just like political campaign workers,”
In concluding, these experts urge the Ethiopian Broadcast Authority to regulate and monitor these media properly and the journalism schools and scholars to play an important role in producing professional journalists.
Herald April 24/2019
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
